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That’s what JAEPO — the Japan Amusement Expo — is, and that’s how I spent my Friday. As you might expect, it was a whole lot of fun, and a much-needed reminder of why I love arcades so much.

Now, Japanese arcades are facing a new menace, one that the entire world has been combating: COVID-19. Even pre-pandemic, arcades in Japan were on a downward trend.

Japanese arcades not only hang on, but keep getting new games. Here’s why. Arcade game makers own arcades. Some of the biggest corporate arcades in Japan are from Sega, Namco, Taito, and Capcom.

Arcades are better in Japan. It’s that simple. Yes, there are some cherished video game hovels out here in the states, ones that have weathered a brutal storm against an increasingly shrinking ...

But in Japan, arcades still occupy a huge amount of real estate. Square Enix’s Taito has more than 138 arcades throughout Japan, and it’s just one of the companies in the business.

But the “essence” [shinzui] of Japanese arcades was always different, explains Nakanishi, 46, a former distributor of Konami games and now a regular in an arcade in Tokyo’s shabby Ueno district.

The Covid-19 pandemic has hit the Japanese arcade industry hard. With the country closed off to tourism, it might only seem like big city arcades are the ones that are hurting the most.

Japanese arcades are bustling with unique experiences that are just downright fun to play, and we westerners deserve to play them too. So here are five Japanese arcade games that need to come West.

In its privileged position as a Japanese arcade with US locations, Round1 can connect to an official VPN that allows Americans to play games. But Maggie Museca and David DDR are shit out of luck.

In its privileged position as a Japanese arcade with US locations, Round1 can connect to an official VPN that allows Americans to play games. But Maggie Museca and David DDR are shit-out-of-luck.